A Taxonomy of Disgust in Art

Disgust has been a perennial feature of art from medieval visions of hell to postmodern travesties. The purpose of this chapter is to chart various ways in which disgust functions in artworks both in terms of content and style, canvassing cases in which the content and/or style is literally disgusting in contrast to cases where the disgust serves to characterize the content, often for moral or political or broader cultural purposes

Depyrogenation of snake antivenom serum solutions by hollow fiber-based pseudobioaffinity filtration

The affinity filtration technique using histidine as the pseudobiospecific ligand immobilized on poly(ethylene vinyl alcohol) hollow fiber membranes (Histidine-PEVA) was used to remove endotoxin (ET) from snake antivenom serum solutions. Immobilized histidine bound to horse antibodies (F(ab')(2) fragments) and ET. The effects of solution conditions on the efficiency of ET removal and protein recovery were studied. The lowest antibody adsorption capacity was obtained with acetate pH 6.0 and phosphate pH 6.5 buffers. Under both conditions, ET was removed but the highest efficiency was found for the acetate buffer. This buffer was used to determine the optimal combination of ET concentration and Q(F)/Q(i) (filtrate flow rate/inlet flow rate) ratio for achieving a high rate of ET removal without a significant loss of antibodies. Removal of 93% of the ET and recuperation of 95% of the antibodies were obtained at a Q(F)/Q(i) ratio equal to 0.68 and an initial ET concentration of 675 EU/ml, A high clearance rate of 99% was obtained with initial concentrations of 65 and 351 EU/ml for lachesis-bothrops and bothrops antivenom sera, respectively, and an almost complete depyrogenation of bothrops antivenom serum was achieved, since the final ET content in solution was 0.8 EU/mL. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.173223524

Analytical chemistry approach in cultural heritage: the case of Vincenzo Pasqualoni's wall paintings in S. Nicola in Carcere (Rome)

An analytical approach applied to Vincenzo Pasqualoni's wall paintings in the apse of S. Nicola in Carcere (Rome) is described in this work. The diagnostic campaign was guided following the indications of the restorers, which were supported over all the phases of the restoration, addressing the multi-analytical approach to identify the original pigments palette used by artist, the conservation state and the presence of consolidants materials, by using spectroscopic techniques supported by chemometric analyses. In particular, reflectance spectroscopy from ultraviolet to short wavelength infrared (UV-VIS-SWIR) combined with chemometric approach, X-Ray Fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and Raman spectroscopy are used to characterize the original pigments palette and execution techniques. In addition, original binders and synthetic compounds, used in previous restoration treatments, were detected by using Time Gated Laser Induced Fluorescence spectroscopy (TG-LIF) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The obtained results onto the case study of S. Nicola in Carcere is a proof of a synergic integration between scientific analytical methods and conservation/restoration approach, subject of high impact and interest in the field of Cultural Heritage. Specifically, through the application of the above-mentioned techniques it was possible to identify the palette used by the artist, mainly composed of inorganic pigments such as ochers, chrome green, cobalt blue, and others. About the binders used by the artist we deduce the use of fresco technique for the upper part of the apse, combined with the use of tempera for retouches. Finally, the presence of acrylic-based compounds used in previous restoration treatments was also documented

Considerations on the Subject of Food Security and Food Safety

Il lavoro analizza criticamente la nozione concettuale di sicurezza alimentare e le sue possibili implicazioni sotto il duplice profilo quantitativo (security) e qualitativo (safety), calandola in una dimensione non soltanto di diritti ma anche di doveri (sia dei poteri pubblici che dei cittadini/consumatori) e valutandone e verificandone le ricadute sul relativo strumentario di tutela e sulle possibili ulteriori coordinate e direttrici di sviluppo